Oncell single-layer touch sensor

ABSTRACT

In one embodiment, a touch sensor includes multiple first electrodes along a first direction. Each of the first electrodes includes multiple first conductive regions. The touch sensor also includes multiple second electrodes along a second direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction. Each of the second electrodes includes one second conductive region. The one second conductive region of each of the second electrodes are interdigitated with one of the first conductive regions of each of the first electrodes. The first and second conductive regions are disposed on a layer on or within a display stack including one or more layers.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure generally relates to touch sensors.

BACKGROUND

An array of conductive drive and sense electrodes may form amutual-capacitance touch sensor having one or more capacitive nodes. Themutual-capacitance touch sensor may have either a two-layerconfiguration or single-layer configuration. In a single-layerconfiguration, drive and sense electrodes may be disposed in a patternon one side of a substrate. In such a configuration, a pair of drive andsense electrodes capacitively coupled to each other across a space ordielectric between electrodes may form a capacitive node.

In a single-layer configuration for a self-capacitance implementation,an array of vertical and horizontal conductive electrodes may bedisposed in a pattern on one side of the substrate. Each of theconductive electrodes in the array may form a capacitive node, and, whenan object touches or comes within proximity of the electrode, a changein self-capacitance may occur at that capacitive node and a controllermay measure the change in capacitance as a change in voltage or a changein the amount of charge needed to raise the voltage to somepre-determined amount.

In a touch-sensitive display application, a touch screen may enable auser to interact directly with what is displayed on a display underneaththe touch screen, rather than indirectly with a mouse or touchpad. Atouch screen may be attached to or provided as part of, for example, adesktop computer, laptop computer, tablet computer, personal digitalassistant (PDA), smartphone, satellite navigation device, portable mediaplayer, portable game console, kiosk computer, point-of-sale device, orother suitable device. A control panel on a household or other appliancemay include a touch screen.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates an example touch sensor with an example controller.

FIGS. 2A-B illustrate example mechanical stacks with an exampleelectrodes disposed on an example display stack.

FIG. 3 illustrates an example single-layer touch sensor for use with themechanical stacks of FIGS. 2A-B.

DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 illustrates an example touch sensor 10 with an exampletouch-sensor controller 12. Touch sensor 10 and touch-sensor controller12 may detect the presence and location of a touch or the proximity ofan object within a touch-sensitive area of touch sensor 10. Herein,reference to a touch sensor may encompass both the touch sensor and itstouch-sensor controller, where appropriate. Similarly, reference to atouch-sensor controller may encompass both the touch-sensor controllerand its touch sensor, where appropriate. Touch sensor 10 may include oneor more touch-sensitive areas, where appropriate. Touch sensor 10 mayinclude an array of drive and sense electrodes (or an array ofelectrodes of a single type) disposed on one or more substrates, whichmay be made of a dielectric material. Herein, reference to a touchsensor may encompass both the electrodes of the touch sensor and thesubstrate(s) that they are disposed on, where appropriate.Alternatively, where appropriate, reference to a touch sensor mayencompass the electrodes of the touch sensor, but not the substrate(s)that they are disposed on.

An electrode (whether a ground electrode, a guard electrode, a driveelectrode, or a sense electrode) may be an area of conductive materialforming a shape, such as for example a disc, square, rectangle, thinline, other suitable shape, or suitable combination of these. One ormore cuts in one or more layers of conductive material may (at least inpart) create the shape of an electrode, and the area of the shape may(at least in part) be bounded by those cuts. In particular embodiments,the conductive material of an electrode may occupy approximately 100% ofthe area of its shape. As an example and not by way of limitation, anelectrode may be made of an optically clear conductive material, such asfor example indium tin oxide (ITO) and the ITO of the electrode mayoccupy approximately 100% of the area of its shape (sometimes referredto as 100% fill), where appropriate. In particular embodiments, theconductive material of an electrode may occupy substantially less than100% of the area of its shape. As an example and not by way oflimitation, an electrode may be made of fine lines of metal or otherconductive material (FLM), such as for example copper, silver, or acopper- or silver-based material, and the fine lines of conductivematerial may occupy approximately 5% of the area of its shape in ahatched, mesh, or other suitable pattern. Herein, reference to FLMencompasses such material, where appropriate. Although this disclosuredescribes or illustrates particular electrodes made of particularconductive material forming particular shapes with particular fillpercentages having particular patterns, this disclosure contemplates anysuitable electrodes made of any suitable conductive material forming anysuitable shapes with any suitable fill percentages having any suitablepatterns.

Where appropriate, the shapes of the electrodes (or other elements) of atouch sensor may constitute in whole or in part one or moremacro-features of the touch sensor. One or more characteristics of theimplementation of those shapes (such as, for example, the conductivematerials, fills, or patterns within the shapes) may constitute in wholeor in part one or more micro-features of the touch sensor. One or moremacro-features of a touch sensor may determine one or morecharacteristics of its functionality, and one or more micro-features ofthe touch sensor may determine one or more optical features of the touchsensor, such as transmittance, refraction, or reflection.

A mechanical stack may contain the substrate (or multiple substrates)and the conductive material forming the drive or sense electrodes oftouch sensor 10. As an example and not by way of limitation, themechanical stack may include a first layer of optically clear adhesive(OCA) beneath a cover panel. The cover panel may be clear and made of aresilient material suitable for repeated touching, such as for exampleglass, polycarbonate, or poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA). Thisdisclosure contemplates any suitable cover panel made of any suitablematerial. The first layer of OCA may be disposed between the cover paneland the substrate with the conductive material forming the drive orsense electrodes. The mechanical stack may also include a second layerof OCA and a dielectric layer (which may be made of PET or anothersuitable material, similar to the substrate with the conductive materialforming the drive or sense electrodes). As an alternative, whereappropriate, a thin coating of a dielectric material may be appliedinstead of the second layer of OCA and the dielectric layer. The secondlayer of OCA may be disposed between the substrate with the conductivematerial making up the drive or sense electrodes and the dielectriclayer, and the dielectric layer may be disposed between the second layerof OCA and an air gap to a display of a device including touch sensor 10and touch-sensor controller 12. As an example only and not by way oflimitation, the cover panel may have a thickness of approximately 1 mm;the first layer of OCA may have a thickness of approximately 0.05 mm;the substrate with the conductive material forming the drive or senseelectrodes may have a thickness of approximately 0.05 mm; the secondlayer of OCA may have a thickness of approximately 0.05 mm; and thedielectric layer may have a thickness of approximately 0.05 mm. Althoughthis disclosure describes a particular mechanical stack with aparticular number of particular layers made of particular materials andhaving particular thicknesses, this disclosure contemplates any suitablemechanical stack with any suitable number of any suitable layers made ofany suitable materials and having any suitable thicknesses. As anexample and not by way of limitation, in particular embodiments, a layerof adhesive or dielectric may replace the dielectric layer, second layerof OCA, and air gap described above, with there being no air gap to thedisplay.

One or more portions of the substrate of touch sensor 10 may be made ofpolyethylene terephthalate (PET) or another suitable material. Thisdisclosure contemplates any suitable substrate with any suitableportions made of any suitable material. In particular embodiments, thedrive or sense electrodes in touch sensor 10 may be made of ITO in wholeor in part. In particular embodiments, the drive or sense electrodes intouch sensor 10 may be made of fine lines of metal or other conductivematerial. As an example and not by way of limitation, one or moreportions of the conductive material may be copper or copper-based andhave a thickness of approximately 5 μm or less and a width ofapproximately 10 μm or less. As another example, one or more portions ofthe conductive material may be silver or silver-based and similarly havea thickness of approximately 5 μm or less and a width of approximately10 μm or less. This disclosure contemplates any suitable electrodes madeof any suitable material.

Touch sensor 10 may implement a capacitive form of touch sensing. In amutual-capacitance implementation, touch sensor 10 may include an arrayof drive and sense electrodes forming an array of capacitive nodes. Adrive electrode and a sense electrode may form a capacitive node. Thedrive and sense electrodes forming the capacitive node may come neareach other, but not make electrical contact with each other. Instead,the drive and sense electrodes may be capacitively coupled to each otheracross a space between them. A pulsed or alternating voltage applied tothe drive electrode (by touch-sensor controller 12) may induce a chargeon the sense electrode, and the amount of charge induced may besusceptible to external influence (such as a touch or the proximity ofan object). When an object touches or comes within proximity of thecapacitive node, a change in capacitance may occur at the capacitivenode and touch-sensor controller 12 may measure the change incapacitance. By measuring changes in capacitance throughout the array,touch-sensor controller 12 may determine the position of the touch orproximity within the touch-sensitive area(s) of touch sensor 10.

In a self-capacitance implementation, touch sensor 10 may include anarray of electrodes of a single type that may each form a capacitivenode. When an object touches or comes within proximity of the capacitivenode, a change in self-capacitance may occur at the capacitive node andtouch-sensor controller 12 may measure the change in capacitance, forexample, as a change in the amount of charge needed to raise the voltageat the capacitive node by a pre-determined amount. As with amutual-capacitance implementation, by measuring changes in capacitancethroughout the array, touch-sensor controller 12 may determine theposition of the touch or proximity within the touch-sensitive area(s) oftouch sensor 10. This disclosure contemplates any suitable form ofcapacitive touch sensing, where appropriate.

In particular embodiments, one or more drive electrodes may togetherform a drive line running horizontally or vertically or in any suitableorientation. Similarly, one or more sense electrodes may together form asense line running horizontally or vertically or in any suitableorientation. In particular embodiments, drive lines may runsubstantially perpendicular to sense lines. Herein, reference to a driveline may encompass one or more drive electrodes making up the driveline, and vice versa, where appropriate. Similarly, reference to a senseline may encompass one or more sense electrodes making up the senseline, and vice versa, where appropriate.

Touch sensor 10 may have drive and sense electrodes disposed in apattern on one side of a single substrate. In such a configuration, apair of drive and sense electrodes capacitively coupled to each otheracross a space between them may form a capacitive node. For aself-capacitance implementation, electrodes of only a single type may bedisposed in a pattern on a single substrate. In addition or as analternative to having drive and sense electrodes disposed in a patternon one side of a single substrate, touch sensor 10 may have driveelectrodes disposed in a pattern on one side of a substrate and senseelectrodes disposed in a pattern on another side of the substrate.Moreover, touch sensor 10 may have drive electrodes disposed in apattern on one side of one substrate and sense electrodes disposed in apattern on one side of another substrate. In such configurations, anintersection of a drive electrode and a sense electrode may form acapacitive node. Such an intersection may be a location where the driveelectrode and the sense electrode “cross” or come nearest each other intheir respective planes. The drive and sense electrodes do not makeelectrical contact with each other—instead they are capacitively coupledto each other across a dielectric at the intersection. Although thisdisclosure describes particular configurations of particular electrodesforming particular nodes, this disclosure contemplates any suitableconfiguration of any suitable electrodes forming any suitable nodes.Moreover, this disclosure contemplates any suitable electrodes disposedon any suitable number of any suitable substrates in any suitablepatterns.

As described above, a change in capacitance at a capacitive node oftouch sensor 10 may indicate a touch or proximity input at the positionof the capacitive node. Touch-sensor controller 12 may detect andprocess the change in capacitance to determine the presence and locationof the touch or proximity input. Touch-sensor controller 12 may thencommunicate information about the touch or proximity input to one ormore other components (such one or more central processing units (CPUs))of a device that includes touch sensor 10 and touch-sensor controller12, which may respond to the touch or proximity input by initiating afunction of the device (or an application running on the device).Although this disclosure describes a particular touch-sensor controllerhaving particular functionality with respect to a particular device anda particular touch sensor, this disclosure contemplates any suitabletouch-sensor controller having any suitable functionality with respectto any suitable device and any suitable touch sensor.

Touch-sensor controller 12 may be one or more integrated circuits (ICs),such as for example general-purpose microprocessors, microcontrollers,programmable logic devices or arrays, application-specific ICs (ASICs).In particular embodiments, touch-sensor controller 12 comprises analogcircuitry, digital logic, and digital non-volatile memory. In particularembodiments, touch-sensor controller 12 is disposed on a flexibleprinted circuit (FPC) bonded to the substrate of touch sensor 10, asdescribed below. The FPC may be active or passive, where appropriate. Inparticular embodiments, multiple touch-sensor controllers 12 aredisposed on the FPC. Touch-sensor controller 12 may include a processorunit, a drive unit, a sense unit, and a storage unit. The drive unit maysupply drive signals to the drive electrodes of touch sensor 10. Thesense unit may sense charge at the capacitive nodes of touch sensor 10and provide measurement signals to the processor unit representingcapacitances at the capacitive nodes. The processor unit may control thesupply of drive signals to the drive electrodes by the drive unit andprocess measurement signals from the sense unit to detect and processthe presence and location of a touch or proximity input within thetouch-sensitive area(s) of touch sensor 10. The processor unit may alsotrack changes in the position of a touch or proximity input within thetouch-sensitive area(s) of touch sensor 10. The storage unit may storeprogramming for execution by the processor unit, including programmingfor controlling the drive unit to supply drive signals to the driveelectrodes, programming for processing measurement signals from thesense unit, and other suitable programming, where appropriate. Althoughthis disclosure describes a particular touch-sensor controller having aparticular implementation with particular components, this disclosurecontemplates any suitable touch-sensor controller having any suitableimplementation with any suitable components.

Tracks 14 of conductive material disposed on the substrate of touchsensor 10 may couple the drive or sense electrodes of touch sensor 10 toconnection pads 16, also disposed on the substrate of touch sensor 10.As described below, connection pads 16 facilitate coupling of tracks 14to touch-sensor controller 12. Tracks 14 may extend into or around (e.g.at the edges of) the touch-sensitive area(s) of touch sensor 10.Particular tracks 14 may provide drive connections for couplingtouch-sensor controller 12 to drive electrodes of touch sensor 10,through which the drive unit of touch-sensor controller 12 may supplydrive signals to the drive electrodes. Other tracks 14 may provide senseconnections for coupling touch-sensor controller 12 to sense electrodesof touch sensor 10, through which the sense unit of touch-sensorcontroller 12 may sense charge at the capacitive nodes of touch sensor10. Tracks 14 may be made of fine lines of metal or other conductivematerial. As an example and not by way of limitation, the conductivematerial of tracks 14 may be copper or copper-based and have a width ofapproximately 100 μm or less. As another example, the conductivematerial of tracks 14 may be silver or silver-based and have a width ofapproximately 100 μm or less. In particular embodiments, tracks 14 maybe made of ITO in whole or in part in addition or as an alternative tofine lines of metal or other conductive material. Although thisdisclosure describes particular tracks made of particular materials withparticular widths, this disclosure contemplates any suitable tracks madeof any suitable materials with any suitable widths. In addition totracks 14, touch sensor 10 may include one or more ground linesterminating at a ground connector (which may be a connection pad 16) atan edge of the substrate of touch sensor 10 (similar to tracks 14).

Connection pads 16 may be located along one or more edges of thesubstrate, outside the touch-sensitive area(s) of touch sensor 10. Asdescribed above, touch-sensor controller 12 may be on an FPC. Connectionpads 16 may be made of the same material as tracks 14 and may be bondedto the FPC using an anisotropic conductive film (ACF). Connection 18 mayinclude conductive lines on the FPC coupling touch-sensor controller 12to connection pads 16, in turn coupling touch-sensor controller 12 totracks 14 and to the drive or sense electrodes of touch sensor 10. Inanother embodiment, connection pads 16 may be connected to anelectro-mechanical connector (such as a zero insertion forcewire-to-board connector); in this embodiment, connection 18 may not needto include an FPC. This disclosure contemplates any suitable connection18 between touch-sensor controller 12 and touch sensor 10.

FIGS. 2A-B illustrate example mechanical stacks with an exampleelectrodes disposed on an example display stack. Although thisdisclosure illustrates and describes particular mechanical stacks withparticular configurations of particular layers, this disclosurecontemplates any suitable mechanical stack with any suitableconfiguration of any suitable layers. In particular embodiments, adisplay stack 50 may include one or more layers associated withdisplaying an image to a user. As an example and not by way oflimitation, display stack 50 may include a layer with elements thatapply signals to pixels of the display and a cover layer. In the exampleof FIG. 2A, conductive material 52 forming the drive and senseelectrodes of the touch sensor is disposed on the cover layer of displaystack 50, such that display stack 50 functions as the substrate forconductive material 52. Mechanical stack 54 includes an adhesive layer56, such as for example a liquid OCA (LOCA) layer, disposed betweencover panel 58 and display stack 50.

In the example of FIG. 2B, conductive material 52 forming the drive andsense electrodes of the touch sensor may be disposed within displaystack 50, such that a layer of display stack 50, other than the coverlayer, functions as the substrate, or substrate layer, for conductivematerial 52. In particular embodiments, display stack 50 may include oneor more layers with an optical function that modifies an opticalproperty of light originating underneath the substrate layer. Conductivematerial 52 may be disposed on a layer of display stack 50 with anoptical function that modifies an optical property of light originatingunderneath that substrate layer. As an example and not by way oflimitation, display stack 50 may include a layer that polarizes lightoriginating underneath that layer, e.g. a polarizer layer, andconductive material 52 may be disposed on the polarizer layer. Asanother example, a layer of display stack 50 may attenuate particularcolor components of light originating underneath that layer, i.e. acolor filter layer, and conductive material 52 may be disposed on thecolor filter layer. Conductive material 52 may be situated between theremaining layers of display stack 50, such as for example a cover layerof display stack 50, and the layer of display stack 50 on whichconductive material 24 is disposed, such as for example the polarizerlayer. Mechanical stack 60 may include adhesive layer 56, such as forexample a LOCA layer, disposed between cover panel 58 and display stack50.

FIG. 3 illustrates an example single-layer touch sensor for use with themechanical stacks of FIGS. 2A-B. Although this disclosure illustratesand describes a particular touch sensor with a particular configurationof particular electrodes and conductive regions, this disclosurecontemplates any suitable touch sensor with any suitable configurationof any suitable electrodes and conductive regions. In the example ofFIG. 3, touch sensor 10 includes an array of one or more driveelectrodes 20 defined by conductive regions 20A-C and one or more senseelectrodes 22 defined by conductive regions 22A-JJJ that in turn definea touch-sensitive area of touch sensor 10. A row of the array eachincludes a conductive region 20A-C defining drive electrodes 20extending along an axis corresponding to the row of the array. Each rowalso includes one or more conductive regions 22A-JJJ disposed inparallel to each other that define sense electrodes 22 and are adjacentto corresponding drive electrodes 20 defined by conductive regions20A-C. As an example and not by way of limitation, a row of the arrayincludes drive electrode 20 defined by conductive region 20A withcorresponding conductive regions 22A-J of sense electrodes 22 disposedalong an axis parallel to the drive electrode defined by conductiveregion 20A. One or more conductive regions 22A-JJJ of the senseelectrodes 22 commonly coupled to a track, e.g., 14A, 14E, 14C, and 14Fmay define columns that are substantially perpendicular to rows of thearray. As an example and not by way of limitation, conductive regions22F-FFF of sense electrodes 22 commonly coupled to track 14F may definea column of the array. As discussed above, each conductive region 20A-Cof drive electrodes 20 may be capacitively coupled to one or moreadjacent conductive regions 22A-JJJ of sense electrodes 22 that areseparated by a gap 32.

A ground shape 30 extends along an axis parallel to the rows of thearray and separate conductive regions 22A-JJJ of sense electrodes 22 ofone row from conductive regions 20A-C of drive electrodes 20 of adifferent row. Ground shape 30 may serve to suppress unintentionalcapacitive coupling between adjacent rows of conductive regions (e.g.20A or 22 J), or between electrode connections and adjacent electrodes(e.g. 20 or 22). As an example and not by way of limitation, groundshape 30 suppresses capacitive coupling between conductive regions22AA-JJ defining sense electrodes 22 and conductive region 20C definingdrive electrode 20, or between electrode connection 24E and conductiveregion 20C.

In particular embodiments, the conductive material of a conductiveregion (e.g. 22A and 20C) may occupy approximately 100% of the area ofits shape. As an example and not by way of limitation, one or moreconductive regions (e.g. 22A and 20C), or electrode connectors (e.g.24J) may be made of ITO and the ITO of conductive regions (e.g., 22A and20C) that define the drive 20 and sense 22 electrodes may occupyapproximately 100% of the area of its shape, where appropriate. Inparticular embodiments, the conductive material of a conductive region(e.g. 22A and 20C) may occupy approximately 5% of the area of its shape.As an example and not by way of limitation, a conductive region (e.g.22A and 20C) may be made of fine lines of metal (such as for examplecopper, silver, or a copper- or silver-based material) or otherconductive material and the fine lines of conductive material may occupyapproximately 5% of the area of its shape in a hatched or other suitablepattern.

In particular embodiments, one or more conductive regions 20A-C and22A-JJJ may include projections 34A-B from a main electrode portion.Projections 34A of conductive regions 22A-JJJ of sense electrodes 22 maybe adjacent to a projection 34B of corresponding conductive regions20A-C of drive electrodes 20, thereby forming capacitive coupling edgesseparated by a gap 32. Projections 34A-B may be interleaved orinterdigitated to increase the number of capacitive coupling edgesbetween one or more sense electrodes 22 and a corresponding driveelectrode 20. As an example and not by way of limitation, projections34A of conductive regions 22CCC and 22GGG of sense electrode 20 may beinterdigitated with projections 34B of corresponding conductive region20C of drive electrode 20. Capacitive coupling between sense electrodeand corresponding drive electrode may be determined by dimensions of gap32 and edges of projections 34A-B of the electrodes.

Conductive regions (e.g. 20A-C and 22A-JJJ) defining a drive electrode20 or a sense electrode 22 may be an area of conductive material forminga shape, such as for example a disc, square, rectangle, other suitableshape, or suitable combination of these. In particular embodiments, oneor more edges of conductive regions (e.g. 22A or 20C) may havenon-linear macro-features to avoid long linear stretches of conductivematerial with a repeat frequency, thereby reducing a probability ofcausing interference or moiré patterns. The non-linear edges of themacro-features of conductive regions (e.g. 22A or 20C) may disperse andhence reduce the visibility of reflections from the conductive materialwhen illuminated by incident light. As an example and not by way oflimitation, the edges of conductive regions (e.g. 22A or 20C) may have asubstantially sinusoidal shape. Although this disclosure describes edgesof the macro-features of the conductive regions having a particular typeof path, this disclosure contemplates one or more edges of themacro-features of the conductive regions following any variation in linedirection or path from a straight line, including, but not limited to,wavy lines or zig-zag lines. Moreover, although this disclosuredescribes or illustrates particular electrodes made of particularconductive material forming particular shapes with particular fillshaving particular patterns, this disclosure contemplates any suitableelectrodes made of any suitable conductive material forming any suitableshapes with any suitable fills having any suitable patterns. Whereappropriate, the shapes of the electrodes (or other elements) of a touchsensor may constitute in whole or in part one or more macro-features ofthe touch sensor. One or more characteristics of the implementation ofthose shapes (such as, for example, the conductive materials, fills, orpatterns within the shapes or the means of electrically isolating orphysically separating the shapes from each other) may constitute inwhole or in part one or more micro-features of the touch sensor.

Conductive regions 20A-C of drive electrodes 20 and conductive regions22A-JJJ of sense electrodes 22 may be coupled to tracks, e.g., 14A, 14C,and 14F through electrode connections, e.g., 24A and 24J. In particularembodiments, conductive regions 20A-C of drive electrodes 20, conductiveregions 22A-JJJ of sense electrodes 22, and electrode connectors, e.g.,24A and 24J, may be formed using a single conductive layer. In otherparticular embodiments, connections from conductive regions 22A-JJJ ofsense electrodes 22 to corresponding tracks, e.g., 14A and 14C, may bedetermined based on a position relative to axis 38, provided as anillustration and not by way of limitation. As an example and not by wayof limitation, conductive region sense 22EE may be left of axis 38 andon this basis, conductive region 22EE may be coupled to track 14E on aleft side of the array. Similarly, conductive region 22FF may be locatedto the right of axis 38 and may be coupled to track 14F on a right sideof the array. As described above, conductive regions, such as forexample 22A-AAA, of sense electrodes 22 may be commonly coupled to track14A. In particular embodiments, conductive regions 20A-C of driveelectrodes 20 and ground lines 30 may be continuous across the length ofthe rows of the array. As an example and not by way of limitation,conductive region 20C may be coupled to a track 14C on either side ofthe array, while ground connections 30 may be coupled to tracks 14_(Gnd) on both sides of the array. In other particular embodiments,tracks, e.g., 14A and 14C, may be located on a different vertical levelthan electrode connectors, e.g., 24A and 26A. As described above, thecontroller transmits drive signals to drive electrodes 20 and receivessensing signals from sense electrodes 22 through tracks, e.g. 14A, 14C,14E, and 14F, to determine the position of the object adjacent touchsensor 10.

Herein, a computer-readable non-transitory storage medium or media mayinclude one or more semiconductor-based or other integrated circuits(ICs) (such, as for example, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) orapplication-specific ICs (ASICs)), hard disk drives (HDDs), hybrid harddrives (HHDs), optical discs, optical disc drives (ODDs),magneto-optical discs, magneto-optical drives, floppy diskettes, floppydisk drives (FDDs), magnetic tapes, solid-state drives (SSDs),RAM-drives, SECURE DIGITAL cards or drives, any other suitablecomputer-readable non-transitory storage media, or any suitablecombination of two or more of these, where appropriate. Acomputer-readable non-transitory storage medium may be volatile,non-volatile, or a combination of volatile and non-volatile, whereappropriate.

Herein, “or” is inclusive and not exclusive, unless expressly indicatedotherwise or indicated otherwise by context. Therefore, herein, “A or B”means “A, B, or both,” unless expressly indicated otherwise or indicatedotherwise by context. Moreover, “and” is both joint and several, unlessexpressly indicated otherwise or indicated otherwise by context.Therefore, herein, “A and B” means “A and B, jointly or severally,”unless expressly indicated otherwise or indicated otherwise by context.

The scope of this disclosure encompasses all changes, substitutions,variations, alterations, and modifications to the example embodimentsdescribed or illustrated herein that a person having ordinary skill inthe art would comprehend. The scope of this disclosure is not limited tothe example embodiments described or illustrated herein. Moreover,although this disclosure describes and illustrates respectiveembodiments herein as including particular components, elements,feature, functions, operations, or steps, any of these embodiments mayinclude any combination or permutation of any of the components,elements, features, functions, operations, or steps described orillustrated anywhere herein that a person having ordinary skill in theart would comprehend. Furthermore, reference in the appended claims toan apparatus or system or a component of an apparatus or system beingadapted to, arranged to, capable of, configured to, enabled to, operableto, or operative to perform a particular function encompasses thatapparatus, system, component, whether or not it or that particularfunction is activated, turned on, or unlocked, as long as thatapparatus, system, or component is so adapted, arranged, capable,configured, enabled, operable, or operative.

What is claimed is:
 1. A touch sensor comprising: a plurality of firstelectrodes along a first direction, each of the first electrodescomprising a plurality of first conductive regions; and a plurality ofsecond electrodes along a second direction that is substantiallyperpendicular to the first direction, each of the second electrodescomprising one second conductive region, the one second conductiveregion of each of the second electrodes being interdigitated with one ofthe first conductive regions of each of the first electrodes in a mannersuch that the second electrode does not intersect in a touch sensitivearea the plurality of first electrodes, the first and second conductiveregions being disposed on a layer on or within a display stackcomprising one or more layers.
 2. The touch sensor of claim 1, wherein:each of the first electrodes is a sense electrode of the touch sensor;each of the first conductive regions is a conductive region of the senseelectrodes of the touch sensor; each of the second electrodes is a driveelectrode of the touch sensor; and each of the second conductive is aconductive region of the drive electrodes of the touch sensor.
 3. Thetouch sensor of claim 1, wherein: each of the first electrodes is adrive electrode of the touch sensor; each of the first conductiveregions is a conductive region of the drive electrodes of the touchsensor; each of the second electrode lines is a sense electrode of thetouch sensor; and each of the second electrodes is a conductive regionof the sense electrodes of the touch sensor.
 4. The touch sensor ofclaim 1, wherein each of the first and second conductive regionscomprises an extent along the second direction and one or moreprojections from its extent along the first direction, the one or moreprojections of the first conductive regions capacitively couple to theone or more projections of the second conductive regions.
 5. The touchsensor of claim 1, wherein one or more edges of a macro-feature of oneor more conductive regions follows a non-linear path.
 6. The touchsensor of claim 1, wherein one or more of the conductive regions is madeof optically clear conductive material that substantially fills theconductive region.
 7. The touch sensor of claim 6, wherein the opticallyclear conductive material is indium tin oxide (ITO).
 8. The touch sensorof claim 1, wherein one or more of the conductive regions is made of aconductive mesh of conductive material comprising gold, aluminum,copper, silver, gold-based, aluminum-based, silver-based, orcopper-based, or carbon nanotubes.
 9. The touch sensor of claim 1,wherein a substrate on which the plurality of first and secondelectrodes are disposed has an optical function modifying an opticalproperty of light.
 10. The touch sensor of claim 9, wherein the opticalfunction comprises color filtering.
 11. A device comprising: a displaystack comprising a plurality of layers, the plurality of layerscomprising a cover layer and one or more other layers; a touch sensorcomprising: a plurality of first electrodes along a first direction,each of the first electrodes comprising a plurality of first conductiveregions; and a plurality of second electrodes along a second directionthat is substantially perpendicular to the first direction, each of thesecond electrodes comprising one second conductive region, the onesecond conductive region of each of the second electrodes beinginterdigitated with one of the first conductive regions of each of thefirst electrodes, the first and second conductive regions being disposedon a substrate, the substrate being a particular one of the plurality oflayers, other than the cover layer, within the display stack; and one ormore computer-readable non-transitory storage media embodying logic thatis configured when executed to control the touch sensor.
 12. The deviceof claim 11, wherein: each of the first electrodes is a sense electrodeof the touch sensor; each of the first conductive regions is aconductive region of the sense electrodes of the touch sensor; each ofthe second electrodes is a drive electrode of the touch sensor; and eachof the second conductive is a conductive region of the drive electrodesof the touch sensor.
 13. The device of claim 11, wherein: each of thefirst electrodes is a drive electrode of the touch sensor; each of thefirst conductive regions is a conductive region of the drive electrodesof the touch sensor; each of the second electrode lines is a senseelectrode of the touch sensor; and each of the second electrodes is aconductive region of the sense electrodes of the touch sensor.
 14. Thedevice of claim 11, wherein each of the first and second conductiveregions comprises an extent along the second direction and one or moreprojections from its extent along the first direction, the one or moreprojections of the first conductive regions capacitively couple to theone or more projections of the second conductive regions.
 15. The deviceof claim 11, wherein one or more edges of a macro-feature of one or moreconductive regions follows a non-linear path.
 16. The device of claim11, wherein one or more of the conductive regions is made of opticallyclear conductive material that substantially fills the conductiveregion.
 17. The device of claim 16, wherein the optically clearconductive material is indium tin oxide (ITO).
 18. The device of claim11, wherein one or more of the conductive regions is made of aconductive mesh of conductive material comprising gold, aluminum,copper, silver, gold-based, aluminum-based, silver-based, orcopper-based, or carbon nanotubes.
 19. The device of claim 11, whereinthe substrate on which the first and second conductive regions aredisposed has an optical function modifying an optical property of light.20. The device of claim 19, wherein the optical function comprises colorfiltering.